Identification of plasma miR-148a as a noninvasive biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Summary Background The detection of microRNA (miRNA) markers in plasma is a potential strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening. The aim of this study was to characterize miR-148a in the peripheral plasma as a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC. Methods and methods Quantification of miR-148a was performed on 346 plasma samples, including 155 patients with HCC, 96 patients with liver cirrhosis and 95 healthy controls using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Plasma miR-148a was compared before and after the removal of the tumor in 97 cases of HCC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to analyze predictive value of plasma miR148a in HCC. Results Plasma miR-148a levels were significantly lower in HCC patients compared to those with liver cirrhosis ( P P P Conclusion Plasma miR-148a is a potential non-invasive biomarker for HCC screening, especially for those with negative or low AFP. Detection of miR-148a might be a complementary approach to AFP for predicting HCC occurrence.